The Brazilian labor market created 165,827 formal jobs in August 2026, according to the Novo Cadastro Geral de Empregados e Desempregados (Novo Caged). This positive balance resulted from 2,294,563 admissions and 2,128,736 dismissals.
The number exceeds market expectations, which projected 80,000 to 100,000 new jobs. It also demonstrates a significant acceleration compared to July, when 55,915 jobs were created. The balance is 7% higher than in August 2025, when 154,683 new jobs were recorded.
Job Creation by Sector
The growth was driven by all five major economic activity groups, with positive balances in each sector. The services sector led the creation of jobs, accounting for 110,346 new positions, a 0.47% increase. This was driven mainly by the education, human health, and transportation, storage, and postal services areas.
The construction sector contributed 20,848 jobs, driven by specialized construction services and infrastructure works. The general industry added 16,613 jobs, while commerce registered a positive balance of 16,565 hires, and agriculture closed with 1,452 new jobs, a 0.08% increase.
Regional Job Creation
The job balance was positive in 24 of the 27 federation units. In absolute numbers, the state of São Paulo presented the largest growth, opening 42,533 jobs, followed by Rio de Janeiro with 20,886, and Pernambuco with 13,428.
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In relative terms, the highlights were Paraíba (1.59%), Amapá (1.38%), and Rio Grande do Norte (0.92%). In contrast, only three states recorded a loss of jobs: Rondônia (-0.31%), Rio Grande do Sul (-0.06%), and Espírito Santo (-0.03%).
The population up to 24 years old dominated the entries into the market, guaranteeing a balance of 128,997 jobs, compared to 36,830 new jobs for people 25 years or older. From a gender perspective, women occupied 83,989 of the new jobs, while men took 81,838 positions.
Of the total jobs generated, 73.5% corresponded to typical jobs (121,964 positions), and 26.5% to non-typical jobs (43,863 positions), a category dominated by workers with a working day of 30 hours or less and apprentices. Professionals with complete high school education led the way, conquering 100,939 new positions.
The average real admission salary was R$ 2,410.74 in August, representing a slight decrease of 0.03% compared to July, but a 1.02% increase compared to August 2025.
With the August results, the formal job market in Brazil accumulated the creation of 1,134,033 jobs in the first eight months of 2026, representing a 2.41% increase in the year. In the last 12 months, from September 2025 to August 2026, the economy generated 887,708 new jobs, consolidating the growth trend with a 1.87% increase in formal employment.
